Alita: Battle Angel (2018)

[Werewolf]

I'm with Raymond generally, 5 of us went, 3 who are not major anime fans and had never seen the anime or manga and we all came out having enjoyed it and wanting to see more.

It got so many of the iconic scenes from the anime/manga, and the world felt spot on for it, my one complaint is that the dialog between Alita and Hugo was a bit shonky/poor at times.

I've ordered the 4k steelbook and making of book now

 

[pecnarf]

well I thought I was going to watch it in real3d, it wasn't until I arrive that I learn the advance screening of it was in isense3d, but apart from the technical issues and having to watch the movie with my 3d glasses up side down. I really did enjoy it and way the movie end felt that they left the door open for a sequel. I believe there is plenty of source material to do another 2 or 3 films. I order the steelbox off zavvi as It got both 4k and 3d in it, so I will watch it again in both formats especially the 3d as I would like to watch it without having the glasses upside down.

 

[Werewolf]

I would like to get a 3D TV as I've got a few 3d films (usually because I've bought the steelbook or the 3D version came with the 2d version), but it looks like none of the new sets support it.
Which as I mentioned to my brother the other day is mildly annoying as I'm ordering a new set in a week or two as my 10 year old Panasonic is showing signs of failing (not surprising for a set that age that has had 8+ hours use a day).

There is loads of source material left for Alita, the film covers elements from IIRC omnibus 1 and 2, but there are at least 9 books in the main Alita series, followed by Last Orders and then Martian Chronicles.

 

[pecnarf]

I would like to get a 3D TV as I've got a few 3d films (usually because I've bought the steelbook or the 3D version came with the 2d version), but it looks like none of the new sets support it.
Which as I mentioned to my brother the other day is mildly annoying as I'm ordering a new set in a week or two as my 10 year old Panasonic is showing signs of failing (not surprising for a set that age that has had 8+ hours use a day).

There is loads of source material left for Alita, the film covers elements from IIRC omnibus 1 and 2, but there are at least 9 books in the main Alita series, followed by Last Orders and then Martian Chronicles.

end of 2017 tv manufacture stop producing tv with 3d. you can still buy older stock tv with 4k and 3d. projectors are still being make with 3d function on them.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Saw it again in 2D tonight, I actually prefer the 3D version!

 

[pecnarf]

Saw it again in 2D tonight, I actually prefer the 3D version!

it still showing at my local Odeon in isense3d so I'm on the fence to weather I go watch it again or hold out until my steel box comes.

 

[Angst]

Saw it last night, overall i really enjoyed it but my few complaints are.
Far too loud and shrill at points but that was probably just the cinema
The romance and interaction with hugo was pretty shoddy
Too much crammed into one film, felt rushed and would have been better maybe not mashing 3 volumes of manga into it.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

This was one of if not the first anime I ever saw so full on nostalgia for me. Looking forward to it

Likewise. Anime, manga and comics in general were a huge part of my life in the late 1980s/early 1990s so I’m really looking forward to this.

 

[Glanza]

Was impressed the CGI looked well for the most part, Maybe the romance subplot could have done without being in there but again it's a 12A and these sort of films usually have one bolted on.

 

[Werewolf]

I think the romance subplot had to be in there because it's a major part of the first volumes of the Manga and the anime, and is a large part of what drives Alita forward

Spoiler

The death of Hugo and the treachery of Victor etc pushes her to remember some of her past and hardens her resolve to get into Zalem no matter what it takes

 

[Nitefly]

Went in not knowing anything about it.

Really mixed feelings! Overall, good fun. Looks lovely and great action. There is a great, well paced ‘adventure film’ in there somewhere but it’s really undermined by a few things.

Spoiler

Great start but the characters had really confusing motives during the latter half of the film. No idea what the deal was with the Jew Hunter’s ex-wife. Why the ‘baddies’ didn’t just get them ‘at home’ continued to confuse me. Alita was also made a little bit of a ‘wimp’ when it came to Hugo at the end, when I liked her as a spritely courageous badass.

The backstreet skating was fun but there was way too much emphasis on that ‘football’ game, which was a little boring.

Most unforgivably... endings like that are so frustrating. I’m not looking forward to the next instalment, I’m just annoyed!

Better than I expected: 7/10

 

[edscdk]

Overall liked the film not sure the teen love interest was needed... He dead, quick cut off his head glue it to a robot body.. Oh he dead again...

 

[pecnarf]

wanting to see more.

just read director was sent only 600 out of 1000 pages on note for script. that they got enough for 3 movies but seeing what happed to warcraft, they decide to make the movie so that it open-ending type meaning if it did well in box office they can do another one but if it doesn't it not leaving the film on cliff-hanger like warcraft. so there the possible for at least 2 more movie depend on how well it does.

https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a26141266/alita-battle-angel-2-plot-cast-release-date-trailer/

 

[ElliorR]

Just seen Alita and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope they make another.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Me too, I’ve done my part, saw it in 3D and 2D!

 

[Werewolf]

just read director was sent only 600 out of 1000 pages on note for script. that they got enough for 3 movies but seeing what happed to warcraft, they decide to make the movie so that it open-ending type meaning if it did well in box office they can do another one but if it doesn't it not leaving the film on cliff-hanger like warcraft. so there the possible for at least 2 more movie depend on how well it does.

https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a26141266/alita-battle-angel-2-plot-cast-release-date-trailer/

That would make sense, I really hope it does well enough to warrant a sequel as it's one of my favourite older anime, and one of my favourite manga, and I really enjoyed the film.

 

[krooton]

Anime and Manga were before my time (I'm a late 90s anime starter), so I had no point of reference, but I really enjoyed this.

I thought the cgi was outstanding, how they got around uncanny valley by making Alita not look human worked great, and her facial expression (even the micro-expressions) were fantastic.

Fight scene choreography was also incredibly well done, none of the stupid 4-cuts-per-second-what-the-hell-is-going-on? that is so common in modern movies.

Spoiler

Given the swear limits on a PG-13, her F-bomb was perfectly timed for maximum effect

I did skip through the anime on youtube, and they seemed to remain faithful to many of the set-pieces from that. Yes, the romance angle was a bit bleh, but then it is in the source material, so they'd be damned if they didn't by purists any way.

All in all, it was probably the most enjoyable sci-fi film I have seen in a long time, and I really hope for a sequel.

8/10

 

[Werewolf]

Re the manga, humble bundle actually included it all in one of their bundles a few months back* which is when I finally got round to buying it (I'd read the original run probably 15 years ago), still need to sit down for a few hours and finish up past omnibus 4 and onto the later parts as I've not read the Last order or Martian books.

Re the face, my brother pointed out afterwards that one of the tricks they'd used to avoid the uncanny valley effect was to give her a small scar on her nose (which I don't think I noticed), as apparently a deliberate minor imperfection can be enough to offset how you subconsciously see it



*It had Ajin, Battle Angel, GITS, 7 deadly sins and a few others

 

[Raymond Lin]

Re the manga, humble bundle actually included it all in one of their bundles a few months back* which is when I finally got round to buying it (I'd read the original run probably 15 years ago), still need to sit down for a few hours and finish up past omnibus 4 and onto the later parts as I've not read the Last order or Martian books.

Re the face, my brother pointed out afterwards that one of the tricks they'd used to avoid the uncanny valley effect was to give her a small scar on her nose (which I don't think I noticed), as apparently a deliberate minor imperfection can be enough to offset how you subconsciously see it



*It had Ajin, Battle Angel, GITS, 7 deadly sins and a few others

I noticed the scar the first scene in the close up when she wakes up!

And yes, our brain sees perfect skin and perfect faces as fake. If you take a photo of people's faces, draw a line straight down the middle and then mirror one side, it will look weird. Our faces are not perfectly symmetrical either, it is off by a little bit here and there. Either noses bent, one ear is a mm or two lower, eye socket lower, dimples just one the 1 side etc.

 

[Sasahara]

The first 3 volumes are in the one of the current bundles in the final stage.

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/...medium=product_tile&hmb_campaign=tile_index_7